The Minnesota Vikings have their starting QB in Kyler Murray, but their QB2 situation might be up for grabs in these final two preseason games. For now, QB2 is J.J. McCarthy after losing the QB battle to Murray, but now he might need to fend off veteran Carson Wentz for the backup job.
During McCarthy’s time out on the field in the 13-10 preseason opener win over the New York Giants, McCarthy went 2-for-4 on his pass attempts, leading to 34 passing yards. Moreover, he was also sacked. Meanwhile, Wentz went 9-for-14 for 81 passing yards and a touchdown against New York.
Now, heading into the second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 22, the question is whether Wentz can be the Vikings’ QB2. For NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio, that’s a real possibility.
“There’s been some reporting about issues they’ve had with J.J. McCarthy, getting him to buy in, getting him to defer, getting him to be the guy that they want him to be,” Florio said on the Aug. 17 edition of “PFT Live.” “It goes all the way back to the lost year because of the knee injury.
“I’m starting to wonder whether or not McCarthy’s even going to be the backup, second string. I’m starting to think Carson Wentz may end up being the backup to Kyler Murray, not J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy had a chance to go out and, to say, did he look any different to you in his performance?“
Chris Simms on Vikings’ QB2 After Preseason Opener
While Florio believes that McCarthy is at risk of losing the backup job in these final two preseason games, his co-host on “PFT Live” isn’t ready to go as far as to say Wentz will be QB2.
“I did think he made a few good plays [against the Giants],“ Simms added. “Now, listen, I’m with you in that I’ve wondered the same thing as far as, would Carson Wentz be the backup? But I don’t think that ultimately will happen. I will say I thought he made a few good quarterback plays, especially the one where he threw kind of the deep curl route to the right.
“He had a lot of pressure and kind of had to throw it with somebody barreling down on him. He had to throw it before the guy came out of the break. Those are little things that I would go, ‘Oh, I don’t know if J.J. McCarthy would have made that throw last year.’”
Carson Wentz Could Overtake J.J McCarthy as QB2
Recently, Judd Zulgad of Purple Daily believes the backup position could be up for grabs, with Wentz potentially looking to overtake McCarthy for QB2 on the depth chart.
“[Kevin] O’Connell has said that McCarthy is the backup, but clearly that can be subject to change,“ Zulgad said in an Aug. 16 video. “And quite frankly, with where the Vikings are right now in wanting to win this season, this is not about the future. This is about the now. That’s why Kyler Murray is here.
“If the Vikings had to go to a backup quarterback right now, I think if you gave Kevin O’Connell truth serum, he would say Carson Wentz. This week’s practices might go a long way toward making what the depth chart looks like for Sept. 13 official.”
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